


The Softer Side

by wootar519



Category: Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:07:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24876676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wootar519/pseuds/wootar519
Summary: Leading up to her first Beltane, Tally goes to Anacostia in the hopes of getting advice to guide her through the event.
Relationships: Anacostia Quartermaine/Helen Graves
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	The Softer Side

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first fanfic for the Motherland: Fort Salem fandom, I'm not sure how this became a head canon so strong it ended up requiring a fic but here we are. Enjoy!

Tally bounced her foot nervously as she stood outside the door, glancing down the hallway so as to make sure no one was around to see her. Bringing her hand up to the door, she rapped her knuckles against the wood, swallowing as the knock came off with an exaggerated stutter due to her nervousness, letting out a breath as she heard shuffling behind the door. 

The door was pulled open, the occupant on the other side overly confused by the presence of the young red head. “Craven?” Anacostia questioned as she took in the sight of the girl, “what are you doing here?”

She would later realize that her next move of practically forcing herself into Anacostia’s room was a wildly insubordinate thing of her to do, but before she could think any better of it she was standing in the middle of her commanding officers living quarters, plopping herself onto the bed that rested against the wall. “I think I’m in over my head with this whole Beltane thing, like I’m excited, I’m looking forward to it, but it’s so much pressure you know?” Tally continued talking, being too consumed by her worries to notice Anacostia’s raised brow as she sat on her bed, nor her glances back towards the ensuite.

“Craven, this isn’t really my area of expertise, I’m not sure I’m the one to give you advice on this sort of thing.” Anacostia interjected, though she doubted Tally had even processed her words as she seemed to ignore them before she continued on. 

"I grew up on a matrifocal compound, which meant no guys, ever, I think I’ve seen like three in my entire life.” She continued, finally glancing up at Anacostia. “Everything about this seems like it will be so overwhelming, the Reel, everyone being there, and the boys, they’re all so good looking. I mean you must know you’ve been to Beltane, how did you-“ 

Anacostia shut her eyes with a sigh as Tally was cut off by the sound of the bathroom door opening. “Hey Costia, any chance I can convince you to go off base for dinner tomorrow night, I know you-” The voice was cut off when they realized there was a newcomer in the room. 

“Helen this is-“ Anacostia started, glancing back at her girlfriend who was towel drying her hair while dressed simply in jeans and a black and white plaid shirt.

“Tally Craven right?” She smiled warmly, quickly hanging up her towel before she moved to approach the red head, offering her hand to shake. “Lieutenant Graves, but Helen is fine.” She assured, given the current laidback nature of their interaction. 

Tally nodded and took her hand, shaking it tentatively, blush rising on her cheeks as she realized she had obviously interrupted something. 

“Anacostia talks about all of you a lot, I feel like I know you.” She joked, she glanced between the two of them noticing that Tally still seemed nervous, and even Anacostia appeared to be concerned for the young girl. “Everything alright?” 

Tally looked down, picking at her nails, obviously embarrassed by the anxieties she was experiencing. She was grateful when Anacostia spoke for her, “Tally’s first Beltane is tomorrow, and she’s a little. . . apprehensive.” 

Helen nodded in understanding “Ah I see,” she started before grabbing a chair from the nearby desk and flipping it around, placing it front of where Tally was sitting on the bed before sitting down on it backwards, resting her arms against the back of the chair that was in front of her; “don’t let her rough and tough exterior fool you, Anacostia is not as scary as she’d like you to think.” She told Tally with a smile and a quick wink, glancing over at her girlfriend who rolled her eyes but had a ghost of a smile on her lips. “What’s on your mind?” 

Tally swallowed, glancing up at the Lieutenant, clearing her throat gently, words having been caught in her throat since she had been cut off by Helen’s exiting of the bathroom. “I grew up in California, near Sacramento on a Matrifocal compound. . . ” She trailed off, hoping the descriptor of where she grew up would work to sufficiently explain her worry around the pending celebration.

Helen offered her a kind smile, dipping her head a bit so that she could catch Tally’s gaze, noticing from the corner of her vision that Anacostia had taken a seat next to her on a chair she had pulled up. “I’ll start off by saying it’s perfectly normal to be nervous, or even a little scared. I was terrified before my first Beltane.” She revealed, hoping the girl would find some comfort in knowing she wasn’t alone. 

Tally seemed to relax at that information, chewing her lip in contemplation. “How did you get un-scared?”

Helen shrugged, “I guess I didn’t, I just kind of let things happen, the Reel does know best, even if that seems like a ridiculous thing to believe,” She reminded her, “you have to trust in it.”

“It might feel weird, and maybe even embarrassing,” Anacostia started, trying not to think too much about the slightly surprised expression on Tally’s face as she spoke up, “but whoever you end up with, in Beltane or any other time, you have to talk. Talk all the time - before, during, after; in fact especially during.” Anacostia took a deep breath, almost not believing she was having this conversation with one of her cadets. “Not everything is going to seem right or feel right, and you can’t be afraid or apprehensive about making it known that it isn’t. And if it’s awkward and uncomfortable, it doesn’t mean the Reel was wrong, nor does it mean the whole thing was a bust.”

“So practice makes perfect?” Tally asked with a mix of apprehension and mirth.

Helen barely held back a snort at Anacostia’s expression, letting out a laugh as her hand moved to rub the Staff Sergeants back affectionately before turning back to Tally. “Yes, that’s exactly right.” She confirmed.

Seemingly feeling better about the situation she was about to, no pun intended, be thrust into the next evening, Tally stood up, giving Anacostia a hug so abruptly that the Staff Sergeant tensed in shock before, however briefly, returning the hug awkwardly, ignoring Helen’s broad smile. “Thanks Mama’costia!” Tally spoke with a grin and gave off a final wave before slipping out the door, presumably to return to her dorm with the rest of the Bellweather unit. 

“Did she just call you Mama’costia?” Helen asked with a smirk, watching as  Anacostia stood up, clearing her throat, pushing the chair back to where it went.  “Are you going soft on me Quartermaine?” She teased as she stood from the chair, returning it to its usual resting place before going up to Anacostia, wrapping her arms around the other woman’s waist with a laugh. “It’s okay if you are, I always knew you had it in you.” 

Anacostia relaxed instinctually into the embrace, turning in the hold so she was facing Helen. “I am not going soft, Craven she’s just, she’s been very sheltered and I don’t want her to get hurt.” 

Helen smiled coyly. “I think you’ve started to get soft babe.” She spoke, stealing a kiss when Anacostia was about to rebut. “She seems to really look up to you; who knew it would take a Bellweather, a shit bird, and the human embodiment of sunshine to get on your good side?”

Anacostia rolled her eyes, resting her forehead against Helen’s shoulder as she laughed gently, before shrugging, not sure what she could say about how much she cared already for the unit that had been placed under her charge not long ago. “I don’t mind if you go a little soft, you’ll still be my best girl.” Helen smiled before tilting Anacostia’s chin up from her shoulder to be able to kiss her.

Anacostia smiled into the kiss, pulling back after a few moments, she cleared her throat gently, always a little embarrassed by how easily Helen could take her breath away. “So um, dinner off campus tomorrow?” She asked, hoping for a change of subject back to the question Helen had started to ask her when she was exiting the bathroom.

Helen smiled warmly at her, stealing another kiss. “It’s a date, the start of our own Beltane celebration.” She winked playfully. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! Comments are always welcome, I do have some other things planned for these two if this one is well enough liked and I have some Raelle/Scylla fics in the works as well.


End file.
